ETSU looks to build on its six-game winning streak against Stetson and FGCU

DELAND, Fla. (October 13, 2011) – 5-0-0 through their first five games of the conference season, the ETSU women’s soccer team looks to carry on its winning ways in a weekend series against Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast.

The Lady Bucs first head to DeLand, Fla. on Friday to take on Stetson at 7 p.m., before ending the weekend in Ft. Myers, Fla. for a matchup against FGCU on Sunday at 1 p.m.

ETSU (10-3-0, 5-0-0 A-Sun) jumped to the top of the Atlantic Sun Conference standings last weekend with victories over North Florida and Jacksonville. The Lady Bucs have acquired all 15 potential points in the conference standings through their first five games and are currently riding a program-best six-game winning streak. The streak has helped the Lady Bucs to victories in 10 of their last 11 games after starting the season 0-2-0.

In their two victories last week, the Lady Bucs combined for five goals to keep them among the nation’s elite goal scoring squads. ETSU has scored 34 goals and are currently 14th in the nation in scoring offense at 2.62 goals per game. The Lady Bucs also sit five goals away from the team record for goals in a season, 39, which they set back in 2005.

Leading one of the nation’s top scoring offenses is the reigning A-Sun Player of the Week, senior Genna Petersen (Loveland, Ohio). Petersen has scored nine goals and registered four assists to combine for 22 points on the year. Her nine goals and 22 points lead the team in each category, and also ranks the senior second in the A-Sun in goals and first in points.

On her way to being named both conference player of the week and a CollegeSoccer360 Primetime Performer, Petersen put in a 10th minute goal against UNF on Friday and then put up two goals in a, 3-0, win against Jacksonville on Sunday.

Second to Petersen on the team in goal scoring is freshman Jenna Caudle (Middletown, Md.). The newcomer has scored seven times for the Lady Bucs, including a six-game scoring streak the freshman strung together earlier in the season.

Defensively, the Lady Bucs have been led by the play of senior goalkeeper Caitlin Gaughan (Indianapolis, Ind.) The senior has played all 1,207 minutes in goal for ETSU, saving 56 shots on her way to five shutouts and a conference leading goals against average of 0.82. Gaughan's GAA currently sits atop the ETSU single-season record books, and her five shutouts is tied for the most by a Lady Buc in a single season as well.

Although collecting all the stats, Gaughan has been helped immensely by her starting back line comprised of senior Jessica Hiltenbrand (Bartlett, Tenn.) sophomore Lindsay Bickel (Hampstead, Md.), sophomore Samantha Kron (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) and freshman Ellis Parsons (Cardiff, Wales). The four ETSU defenders have made it difficult for the opposition to develop chances towards Gaughan throughout the season, and they will look to do the same in a road conference weekend.

Stetson (2-9-2, 1-3-1 A-Sun) will be the first this weekend to challenge ETSU’s back line, but the numbers do not play in the Hatters’ favor. Stetson ranks eighth in the conference in goals, points and shots, and will need to put up better numbers if they want to break the conference’s top keeper.

The Hatters’ biggest threat to score has been Alexis Hermosa. Hermosa leads the team with five goals, 11 points and 22 shots, getting nine of her 22 attempts on target. In Stetson’s most recent game, a 2-2 draw to Mercer, Hermosa scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season in just the 12th minute of play, and she will look to get off to the same quick start against ETSU.

FGCU (9-3-2, 4-0-1 A-Sun) trails the Lady Bucs by just two points in the conference standings, as both sides will be competing to push further forward in the conference. The Eagles sit among the middle of the conference in most offensive stats, but rank near the top in almost every defensive category. FGCU ranks second in goals allowed, tied for first with ETSU in GAA and first in shutouts.

Goalkeeper Stephanie Powers leads the Eagle defense, as the senior keeper carries a GAA of 0.82 to tie her for first in the conference with Gaughan. The Eagles have not allowed a goal in conference play all season, and currently ride an A-Sun unbeaten streak of 18 games dating back to October of 2009.

Last week’s A-Sun Defensive Player of the Week, Ashley Ciesielczyk leads FGCU with 12 points having registered a team-leading eight assists. The Eagles top goal scorer is Gina Petracco, who has scored four times off 22 shots. Petracco last struck in FGCU’s, 3-0, win over Kennesaw State on Sunday.

The Lady Bucs lead Stetson 5-2-0 in the all-time series, while having split their four contests with FGCU at 2-2-0.

Live Stats will be provided for the match against Stetson courtesy of gohatters.com, and for Sunday’s contest against FGCU courtesy of fgcuathletics.com.

For more information on ETSU women’s soccer please visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women’s soccer links. Fans can also follow the Lady Bucs on Facebook at ETSU Buccaneer Women’s Soccer.